Barbarossa History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Barbarossa. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Barbarossa family lived in the Veneto region of Italy.

Frederick Barbarossa (1122 - 1190), also known as Frederick I was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 till he died in 1190. Elected King of Germany in March 1152 and crowned in Aachen, he was also crowned King of Italy in April 1155, then Emperor by Pope Adrian IV in June 1155. Later formally crowned King of Burgundy in 1178, given the name Barbarossa "Red Beard" in Italian by the northern italian cities. In Germany he was known as Kaiser Rotbart which means "Emperor Redbeard". He was the son of Duke Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty and Judith, daughter of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria, from the rival House of Welf. On 10 June 1190, he drowned near Silifke Castle in the Saleph River.

Early Origins of the Barbarossa family

The surname Barbarossa was first found in Sicily (Italian: Sicilia), the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time, at the beginning of recorded history, was of itself a great distinction and indicative of noble ancestry.

Early History of the Barbarossa family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barbarossa research. Another 223 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1410, 1443, 1453, 1466, 1485, 1491, 1494, 1500, 1516, 1546, 1550, 1552, 1660, 1679 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Barbarossa History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barbarossa Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Barbaro, Barbara, Barabari, Barbarino, Barbarella, Barbarelli, Barbarotti and many more.

Early Notables of the Barbarossa family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

Hayreddin Barbarossa (Khidr), (c. 1466/83 - 1546), Ottoman corsair and later admiral of the Ottoman Navy. His naval victories secured Ottoman dominance over the Mediterranean during the mid 16th centu...

Migration of the Barbarossa family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Anna Barbara, who sailed to New Orleans in 1820; as well as Antonio Barbara, who sailed to Puerto Rico in 1860.

Contemporary Notables of the name Barbarossa (post 1700) +

Theodore Cotillo Barbarossa (1906-1992), American sculptor mostly in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Boston. Born in Ludlow, Vermont he was a fellow of the National Sculpture Society, and a member of the National Academy of Design, the Allied Artists of America, and the Audubon Artists
David Barbarossa (b. 1961), also known as Dave Barbe, is a drummer and an author of British and Mauritian descent. Known as part of Adam and the Ant and Bow Wow Wow, he was influential and innovative in tribal drumming style that was popular with British and American bands from 1979-1983